Four Members of Colombian Guerilla Organization
Indicted on Charges in 2000 Kidnapping-Three U.S. Nationals Were Among the Hostages Taken by the ELN-

WASHINGTON – Four members of a violent guerilla organization were indicted today on conspiracy and hostage-taking charges stemming from the kidnapping of more than 60 people in Colombia in 2000, including three United States nationals. As a result of the ensuing captivity, three Colombian citizens who were taken hostage by the kidnappers died.

The indictment, returned by a grand jury in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, was announced by Ronald C. Machen Jr., U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, and Michael B. Steinbach, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Miami Field Division.

According to the indictment, at the time of the crimes, the defendants were members of the Ejercito De Liberación Nacional (ELN), which in English translates to the National Liberation Army. Since its inception in 1964, the ELN has engaged in an armed conflict to overthrow the democratically elected government of the Republic of Colombia. The ELN has engaged in terrorist activity, including murder, hostage-taking and the violent destruction of property.

Those indicted today include Eudes Ojeda Ovando, 44, also known as “El Tuerto” and “Martin;” Fidel Castro Murillo, 54, also known as “El Profe” and “Daniro Rodriguez” and two others identified as John Does. They were each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit hostage-taking resulting in death and three counts of hostage-taking. None of the defendants is in custody. If convicted of these charges following an extradition, each defendant would face a maximum term of 60 years of incarceration, the maximum sentence permitted under Colombian law for Colombian nationals extradited to the United States for prosecution.

“The indictment returned today alleges that four members of an armed and violent guerilla organization held more than 60 hostages – including American citizens – for ransom in the Colombian jungle,” said U.S. Attorney Machen. “During this harrowing ordeal, members of this insurgent group allegedly fired at Colombian military helicopters searching for the hostages and armed themselves with bazookas to resist the military operation pursuing the guerillas. This prosecution demonstrates our commitment to pursuing members of foreign terrorist organizations who target Americans as well as our resolve to seeking justice for the three Colombian citizens who actually died during this hostage ordeal.”

“The ELN is a foreign terrorist organization whose members have engaged in violent acts against American and Colombian citizens. These indictments today demonstrate the FBI’s commitment to bring these ELN members to justice,” said Special Agent in Charge Steinbach. “The outstanding, long-term cooperation between the Colombian National Police and U.S. law enforcement has dealt another blow to international terrorism.”

According to the indictment, the defendants were among the leaders of a series of kidnappings carried out on Sept. 17, 2000. The three U.S. nationals – a woman, her brother, and her sister-in-law – were taken hostage at a country home roughly 30 minutes outside of Cali, Colombia. More than 60 others, all Colombian nationals, were taken hostage at two restaurants in the area. The restaurants and country home were all near Kilometer 18 of a road that led from Cali to Buenaventura, Colombia. The hostages were forced into vehicles and taken into the Colombian jungle and mountains. One of the U.S. nationals, a 66-year-old man, was released at that point because of concerns he would not survive a journey through the jungle and mountains and would also slow down the kidnappers during their escape from Colombian authorities.

The indictment alleges that the defendants and their co-conspirators used firearms to keep and detain the hostages; threatened to kill the hostages; conducted or attempted to conduct negotiations for ransom with family members of the hostages, and demanded that military operations by the armed forces of the Republic of Colombia against the hostage-takers cease. On the second day of the ordeal, the kidnappers released another one of the U.S. nationals – a 58-year-old woman – so that she could personally convey one of their ransom demands. The third U.S. national, a 69-year-old woman, was released on Sept. 20, 2000 after three days in captivity, but the kidnappers continued to hold her adult son as a hostage and continued to demand that she pay a large ransom for his release.

The rest of the hostages remained with the ELN, some for several weeks. During this time-frame, the indictment alleges, the ELN conspirators fired at helicopters of the Colombian military members who were attempting to locate the hostages, and also armed bazookas intended to be used against the Colombian military. Three hostages, all Colombian nationals, died as a result of the extreme conditions: Dr. Miguel Nassif, Carlos Alberto Garcia, and Alejandro Henao Botero. According to the indictment, all were denied medical treatment by their captors.

By early November 2000, the last remaining hostages were finally released to representatives from the Colombian Red Cross and the Colombian Peace Commissioner. Even after that, however, the kidnappers pressed on with ransom demands.

An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal laws. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless found guilty.

The charges were the result of an investigation led by the FBI=s Miami Field Division and are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brenda J. Johnson and Fernando Campoamor-Sanchez of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. Assistance also was provided by the FBI Office of the Legal Attaché in Colombia.